10.31 Thameslink train from London Bridge (10.15 St Pancras International, 10.19 Farringdon, 10.47 East Croydon) to Coulsdon South, arr 10.55
Both outward and return journeys are within zone six, so just tap and go...
Days are at their shortest, temperatures are getting nippy, and for those who don't want to venture out from under the cover of their duvet even as far as the Chilterns or Greensand Ridge, here is a very pleasant and varied outing on the southern rim of London.
Though short-ish, it is packed with interest and should display plenty of whatever autumn colour is still extant, while also offering some fine downland views to remind you of the long lost days of summer.
Rather than pick the main walk for this outing, I though it would be nice to give one of the options an airing - the Coulsdon South start. This begins with a fine climb up onto Farthing Down and along one of England's many Happy Valleys, to lunch at the Fox on Coulsdon Common after 4 miles
After lunch you skirt Kenley Airfield (don't worry: no 747s...) and do a loop along two sides of the valley beyond to come to Whyteleafe. (You can even skip this last loop using a shortcut and save 2.7 miles off the walk). Tea is either at the Pavillion Cafe in the park (open to 4pm?) or two pubs, one of them a micro-brewery (and neither one serving tea, if we are being factually accurate, but I am sure they will have warming beverages of another kind).
Trains back are at 01 and 31 past the hour from Whyteleafe to London Bridge, or at 02 and 32 from nearby Upper Warlingham station to Victoria. Both trains go to East Croydon
2 comments:
I was advised by another walker that it looked very wet on Saturday and the walk poster obviously heeded this advice. But as it was a very local walk we thought we should at least stroll down to the station to see if anyone turned up. Which they did so #N=6, it was of course, #W=very_wet. We started in a head wind and driving rain as we made up way up on to Farthing Downs, a very good test of our walking gear. However, as we emerged into Happy Valley the rain eased off, one decided to make straight for the Fox while the rest continued on slightly longer short cut round the edge of the golf course but not as far as Chaldon Church. On the plus side we got there before it began to rain again, but too early for the fire to be lit and only some of the radiators working. The sea bass and the chicken curry reported good, steak and ale pies not so good with gristly beef inside. The coldest, wettest walker decided to go home and one went on ahead leaving four to tramp round Kenley Aerodrome. It was a bit too cold and wet to give the WW2 history the attention it deserves and we all took the short-cut to Whyteleafe Station. A terrible day but somehow you feel a strong sense of camaraderie when you have shared it with others.
The walk poster did not heed this advice! He did the Holmwood walk.
Post a Comment